Pretty Perfect
by The Shipping Cap'n
Summary: angst nasty nasty angst rated m cuz Amethyst's mouth
"I don't know what to do anymore G. If Pearl keeps this up I'm gonna go _nuts_."

Garnet sighed, adjusting her glasses as she did so. She had been meditating in peace up until Amethyst had slammed into her room, seemingly beside herself with rage.

She had stood, hardly getting out her question to what was wrong before Amethyst was already yelling.

"Fucking Pearl thinks she's so _perfect_.She got onto me again for being slightly off on my footwork in training today. As if she thinks I can just zoom around like she does, GAH!"

Garnet had gone to reply but was shushed as Amethyst launched off again, clearly not done with her ranting.

"Yeah, and then she starts yelling at me for sleeping! Sleeping Garnet! That's literally my favorite thing to do and she gripes at me for it! You guys have your things! You have meditation stuff. Pearl has dancing. Sleep is the only way I can relax and escape all my thoughts and shit and she can't even let me have THAT!" I just can't take it anymore! Everyone thinks I'm a joke because I'm emotional. They all think I'm weak and can do NOTHING on my own. And the second I'm even a little snappy in my own FUCKING DEFENSE no less, I get shit for it! It isn't fair!"

Garnet stood shocked in front of Amethyst, watching as her shorter companion finally finished her screaming. Amethyst now stood hunched in front of her, tears falling visibly from under her bangs as she shook. Voice cracking.

"What gets me the most is that it's gotten to the point that I worry it's all true."

She looked up, tear filled eyes reflecting off of Garnet's visor as she sobbed.

"I _hate_ myself Garnet."

Everything they all say. Everything that Pearl says. I _see_ it, I'm not blind."

Her voice cracked and dropped dangerously low. The taller fusion had to bend to hear what she was saying, trying to see her eyes from her once more bowed form.

"Pearl is perfect, she's beautiful, witty, and graceful. And I'm NOTHING!"

She finally broke. Collapsing down to the floor below and holding herself tightly. Whispering again, the words shattering Garnet's heart.

"I'm _nothing_."

"That is _not_ true Amethyst."

This shocked the gem before her, and Garnet took her stunned silence as an opportunity to continue.

"You are not like that Amethyst. You are brave, and strong, and caring. You are a very amazing gem I swear to you this much I know."

Garnet stood, offering a hand down to the crouched warrior, helping her stand as she kept speaking.

"Pearl is very amazing too, as we both know. But even though you are two very different people…. It doesn't mean you have to be her to feel good about yourself. You live for others and their opinions. I know this is because of your inadequacy complex, you have flaws both external and internal. But do you really think we are any _better_?"

She tugged the smaller form to her side and wound her arms tightly around Amethyst's shaking shoulders as she cried. Garnet gently stroked her hair as she did, shushing her softly until her sobs had turned into a quiet string of hiccupping and heavy breathing before she spoke again.

She needed to make sure that she heard this. Heard her.

"Amethyst." She started, tilting her head up to look into her eyes. She pulled her visor from her eyes and dismissed it, turning back to her when it finished vanishing into the glowing light of her gem bubble.

"You are _perfect_ just as you are. Pearl doesn't understand how you are. This is because she has very high standards and harsh critiques for _herself_. She is so scared that if she isn't always ready, always perfect…. That things will go wrong. That she won't be seen as good enough by us no matter what we've told her we think about her. She doesn't see her worth. For much the same reasons you don't see yours. But she wants us all to be ready the way she is. She wants what's best for us and herself and Steven, and _everyone_ so badly that she can't see how her trying to change you is affecting you."

She hugged Amethyst's now calmed form to hers, rocking her in place affectionately as she felt her words working.

"I promise. We _both_ love you Amethyst. We love you so much that we don't want anything to happen to you. Ever. Even if she doesn't necessarily show it the right way…. Pearl feels the exact same way as I. But please, try to bear with Pearl. I can talk to her about her actions and how they are affecting you if you'd like." Garnet opened her third eye, staring into Amethyst's with all three.

I _know_ she'd see the error in her ways and apologize. Though it is impossible to say that she won't still care about you."

Amethyst chuckled, a little bitter edge trailing after it as it echoed between them.

"There's too many possibilities to tell isn't there." She said, the words coming out as a statement rather than a question.

"No." Garnet said simply, smiling and pulling Amethyst close once more in an affectionate embrace.

"There's just no future where she _wouldn't_ care about you. That's all. Nor are there any where _I_ won't care about you. Would you like to do something to make you feel better? I think you'll like it."

She put a bit of space between them, still a hand on her smaller friend's shoulder as she beckoned to her with the fingers of the other.

Amethyst's eyes widened, the invitation glaringly obvious.

"B-But she's too unstable, Pearl said-"

Garnet silenced her with a finger to her purple lips, effectively quieting her as she leaned in with a smile.

"Trust me. I think Pearl will be fine. _She'll_ be fine too, I'm sure of it."

Amethyst gulped. There was no denying she wanted to, and she never had a strong will against affection anyways.

"Let's mash it up then." She whispered, tugging Garnet down and forwards quickly.

Their forms melded instantly, both participants fully in sync even without dancing first.

Sugilite was ready.

Pearl walked through the Temple quietly. Footsteps a mere patter against the sounds of the ancient Temple.

"Amethyst, Garnet? Where are you two?"

She stepped into Garnet's room carefully, minding the fact that she wasn't really supposed to intrude on Garnet's space if anything in fear of angering her stoic leader.

She gasped as she laid eyes on the scene before her. Not believing wat she was seeing.

Sugilite sat in the center of the large room. Magma pits against the wall casting a hot glow over her shadowed form.

When Pearl realized she hadn't been maimed yet, she took a steadying breath and decided to investigate further.

The great fusion's eyes were closed gently, not tightly. Her form was perfect as it rested in a proper meditation position, and it didn't seem like she was just pretending either.

"S-Sugilite?" Pearl asked shakily, terrified that rousing the apparently tame monster would result in a battle she wasn't sure she could handle again.

The beast before her didn't stir. It appeared she was in such a deep state of meditation, of self- control and inner peace, that nothing could awaken her. For now.

Pearl decided that Garnet and Amethyst had this under control. It had been a few minutes wasted trying to rouse her that she herself could have been practicing.

"I-I'm going to go train more alright guy- uhm…. I mean, Sugilite. I'll just let you be. It seems you have perfect control over yourself!" Pearl finished happily, honestly shocked and pleased with this change.

As she left she didn't see Sugilite's eyes crack open. Staring at her retreating form sneakily with a large, genuinely peaceful smile forming.

"Yeah." She whispered calmly, two arms going up from their poised positions to wrap around her middle happily. The other two remaining in their proper positions above her knees.

"It's pretty perfect. Isn't it?"


End file.
